Pitt WR Kenny Johnson chooses Texas Tech football in transfer portal
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The Texas Tech football team has production to replace at wide receiver this offseason with Caleb Douglas and Reggie Virgil being out of eligibility.
The Red Raiders can fill one of their spots with a player who’s put up similar numbers.
Kenny Johnson, who averaged 47 catches the past two seasons at Pittsburgh, plans to join the Red Raiders via the NCAA transfer portal. CBS Sports was first to report his commitment on Wednesday, Jan. 7.
Johnson, listed by Pitt as 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, has one year of eligibility plus a redshirt year remaining. He played in 38 games for the Panthers over the past three seasons.
He signed with Pitt in 2023 out of Dallastown Area (Pa.) High School after being MVP of the prestigious Big 33 all-star game.
As a Pitt freshman in 2023, he caught 15 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown in 12 games. In 2024, he caught 46 passes for 537 yards and 3 TDs, and this season he caught 48 passes for 695 yards and 5 TDs.
He’s the third receiver the Red Raiders have added from the portal in this cycle, joining Jalen Jones from Alabama State and Donte Lee from Liberty.
What Pittsburgh transfer wide receiver Kenny Johnson brings to Texas Tech football
Johnson’s not the first receiver Tech’s landed from the transfer portal this month, but he’s the first from a Power Four conference, so coming to the Big 12 shouldn’t require much of an adjustment. He had 100-yard receiving games this season against Boston College and North Carolina State and a 6-catch, 91-yard game to fuel Pitt’s Nov. 22 victory at Georgia Tech.
Though the Red Raiders like what Paul Hornung Award finalist J’Koby Williams offers as a return man, Johnson provides a viable alternative. He had a kickoff-return touchdown against North Carolina in 2023 and a punt-return touchdown at Syracuse this season. For his career, Johnson’s averaged 23.0 yards on 42 kickoff returns and 10.2 yards on 24 punt returns.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Pitt WR Kenny Johnson chooses Texas Tech football in transfer portal
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